Islam Makhachev has received a significant boost to his training camp ahead of UFC 302 with the return of Khabib Nurmagomedov to his corner! ‘The Eagle’ had transitioned to coaching after his retirement from the sport in 2020, due to the passing away of his father and a promise he had made to his mother. Alongside AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) head coach, Javier Mendez, Nurmagomedov then took on the coaching and cornering duties for his Dagestani teammates.

But in 2023 he announced that he would be completely stepping away from all MMA-related duties to focus on his family. However, with Islam Makhachev on the cusp of surpassing his legacy in the UFC, Nurmagomedov has returned to provide his expertise for his friend and protégé. And according to manager Ali Abdelaziz, ‘The Eagle’s presence in the camp has elevated it to an unprecedented level.

 Khabib Nurmagomedov brings “military” energy to Islam Makhachev’s training for UFC 302

With 2 title defenses already under his belt, Islam Makhachev is set to tie Khabib Nurmagomedov’s record for the most title defenses in the division if he manages to prevail over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. As such, the former lightweight champion recently came out of his self-imposed hiatus and joined Makhachev’s training camp to push him even further!

According to a video shared on his YouTube channel which has been documenting the training camp, Nurmagomedov stated, “I just came back for the next five days. For me, it’s gonna be fun days; for them, it’s gonna be very hard days”

But even while pushing his teammates to the limit, ‘The Eagle’s presence has brought about a significant change in the energy in the camp as revealed by Ali Abdelaziz. He stated, “Islam, mashallah, looks amazing. Khabib come here, change the energy of the whole camp, it become like, it’s like the army here, the military. Everybody on time, everybody training good”

WithKhabib pushing Islam’s training to the next level, fans will be eager to see how he deals with the challenge of taking on the experienced and battle-hardened Dustin Poirier. It’s also interesting to note that his previous 2 title defenses have been against Alexander Volkanovski, who primarily competes at featherweight, as such, Poirier will be the first ‘true’ lightweight to take on the reigning champion for his title.

But with Nurmagomedov having already faced Poirier in the past, he’ll be providing much-needed insight into the matchup for Makhachev. And according to Javier Mendez, ‘The Eagle’s work in his role as a coach has left him impressed and happy at how far he has come!

Nurmagomedov lauded by AKA head coach as he takes over training duties

In the latest episode of the UFC 302 training camp vlog for Islam Makhachev, coach Javier Mendez revealed that Khabib Nurmagomedov is essentially running the entire training program for the fight!

Mendez confessed, “I do little bits and parts here and there; I’ve become more of a mentor-type than actually the head coach now.”

However, it’s the seamless transition from being a legendary fighter to a successful coach that has left Mendez praising Nurmagomedov’s talent and adaptability. He revealed, “To see all of the guys and how much they’re learning from him, it’s a big joy to see someone take over where you were before and how great they’re doing.”

As UFC 302 approaches, the synergy between Mendez’s mentorship and Nurmagomedov’s leadership has created a formidable training camp that may lead to Islam Makhachev breaking all records and surpassing ‘The Eagle’s legacy in the near future.  

What are your thoughts on Khabib Nurmagomedov as a coach? Share them with us in the comments below!